Water closet trap refill apparatus



June 1964 J. D. LANGDON 3,137,009

WATER CLOSET TRAP REFILL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1962 W INVENTOR United States Patent 3,137,009 1 WATER CLOSET TRAP REFILL APPARATUS Jesse D. Langdon, 1 John St., East Rockaway, N. Filed Dec. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 242,386 3 Claims. (Cl. 429) This invention pertains particularly to water closet flushing apparatus equipped with a flushometer or other type of timed pressure operated valves, wherein extra delayed timing of the valve operation is desired.

The following patents issued to the instant inventor are cross references belonging to the same category as the present invention: Pat. Nos. 3,026,535, Mar. 27, 1962; 3,011,176, Dec. 5, 1961; 2,918,680, Dec. 29, 1959; 2,915,- 761, Dec. 8, 1959.

The chief object of the invention is to provide for refill of a liquid sealed trap intervening between a sewer connected container for liquids subject to contamination and a sewer conduit. Another object is to enable use of self cleaning greatly enlarged bypass passage means for metering the flow of liquid utilized for timing the described device..

Other and further objects and purposes will appear in the context of the specification as illustrated by the drawing depicting only. one form of reduction to practice, which may be changed within the scope of the claims.

The drawing shows a hollow outer casing 1 provided with a compression chamber A for containment of fluid in the shape of liquid and pneumatic elements. The outer casing 1 encompasses the upper portion of an inner casing 2 provided with liquid inlet 3 for connection to sources of pressure fluid supply. A portion of the inner casing 2 is extended below the lower side of outer casing 1 including an outlet passage 4 communicating with both inlet 3 and the hollow of outer casing 1 via port means 5 disposed thru the wall of inner casing 2. An upwardly projecting tubular portion of outlet passage 4 terminates in mainvalve seat 6. A' main valve member 7 in the form of a tiltable poppet valve memberis provided with seat portion 8 made of deformable material normally closes, resting against, and forming means to prevent leakage of pressure fluid between portion 8 and seat 6. A pressure chamber 9 is formed in the upper portion of inner casing 2 and provided with an open end closed by main valve 7, reciprocally disposed in pressure chamber 9. A cup 10 for containment of liquid is superimposed on pressure chamber 9 and is disposed at a predetermined operating level below that of liquid contained in the hollow of outer casing 1. Bypass passage 11 disposed thru the bottom of cup 10 communicates with pressure chamber 9 and serves to permit liquid to bypass a condition of pressure existing in compression chamber A, during the time when the outer casing is being evacuated of liquid. The bypass passage 11 disposed thru bottom of cup 10 is closed by a float valve 12 depending from float valve stem 13 in turn depending from float means 14 holding float valve 12 in closed position when liquid content of cup 10 and hollow of outer casing 1 is at the predetermined operating level. A drain port 15 is located below the rim of cup 10, a sufficient distance to permit float 14 to fall to the level of drain port 15 thereby unseating float valve 12 opening bypass 11 to permit liquid to enter pressure chamber 9 when liquid is being evacuated from the hollow of outer casing 1. A main valve stem 16 depends from valve 3,137,009 Patented June 16, 1964 member 7 and extends into outlet passage 4. A plunger 17 is provided with a flanged end reciprocally disposed in cylinder 19 being impinged by the flange of handle 18 held in assembled relationship by nut 20. The flange of plunger 17 is held in operative postion abutting the flanged end of handle 18 by a resilient member in this instance being in the form of 'a rubber sleeve 21. An annular passage 22 surrounds a tubular portion 23.0f outlet 4 terminating in seat 6 effective to project pressure fluid against lower face of valve 7 urging same toward under side of cup 10 conforming with the upper face of valve 7 to close bypass 11 until such time as pressure in outer casing 1 is depleted below that of the column of liquid remaining in cup 10, at which time liquid passing via bypass 11 into pressure chamber 9 becomes elfective against the conforming upper side of valve 7 to urge seat portion 8 against seat 6. An annular flange 24 projects concentrically inwardly of the open end of chamber 9. Valve member 7 is slightly spaced above and away from flange 24 when valve 7 is in closed position and seat portion 8 rests upon seat 6.

Flange handle 18, moved laterally, actuates plunger 17 impinging valve stem 16, tilting valve 7 to open position, thereby raising one side of valve 7 toward float-valve 12, and permitting liquid under pressure to be evacuated from chamber 9. The seat portion 8 of valve 7 is first fulcrumed against seat 6, then the lower peripheral edge portion of valve 7 contacts and is fulcrumed against the proximate upper side of flange 24 causing the raised upper peripheral edge of valve 7 to rise a maximum distance to contact float valve 12. The raised portion of valve 7 which is opposite to the fulcrum formed by the concentrically disposed flange 24 clears the inside wallof and permits the evacuation of pressure chamber 9. When handle 18 is released, stem 16 assumes a vertical position and the entire periphery of valve 7 closes against the inner wall of chamber 9 with a proximate upper face portion of valve 7 resting against and holding valve 12 in closed position resting against that end of bypass 11 that is toward pressure chamber 9. Valve 7 is prohibited from opening during exacuation of pressure fluid from the hollow of outer casing 1, due to the fact that: The areaof that portion of piston 7 exposed to annular chamber 22 being greater than the area of float valve 12, resting against bypass 11 prevents opening of bypass 11 until outer casing 1 is evacuated of liquid at which time pressure sub sides in annular chamber 22 according to a predetermined volume of liquid entering thru inlet 3 which must have a predetermined capacity less than that of outlet 4. Cup 10 being located a suitable distance above inlet 3 and outlet 4 provides a column of liquid exerting morep.s.i. against the upper side of float valve 12 than that existing against the lower side of valve 7 after the hollow of outer casing 1 has been evacuated, thus permitting liquid to flow via bypass 11 into chamber 9 urging valve 7 to seated position. Bypass passage 11 is cleaned by movement of stem 13 therethru.

It will be seen that valve member 7 in combination with bypass 11, valve 12, stem 13 and 14 constitute means by which closure of valve 7 may be delayed according to the proportions and relative location of bypass 11, drain port 15, float14 and the relative areas of float valve 12 with relation to valve 7 exposed to annular passage 22 surrounding the inwardly projecting inlet portion 23 of liquid, closure of .valve 7 being delayed according to the capacity of bypass 11 and drain port 115 permits liquid to flow from inlet 3 via annular passage 22 thence over seat 6 and thru outlet 4 by gravity alone, the flow of liquid being restricted to such an extent that atmosphere is permitted to bypass outlet flow of liquid thru the outlet 4 and permit air to enter compression chamber A. The predetermined capacity of inlet 3 controls rate of liquid flow from inlet 3 thru outlet 4.

' When the organization described supra is attached to a water closet bowl provided with a liquid sealed trap, intervening between the water closet bowl and a sewer, the trap will be refilled with liquid but not evacuated by force of the liquid flow.

It is obvious that the under side of cup conforms in shape of the valve member 7 and the wall of the pressure chamber 9 conforms in peripheral shape to that of member 7, so that if float and valve 14-- 1312 were removed, piston 7 would, when in open position, close bypass 11 until the liquid pressure in cup 10 overcomes the pressure in outer casing 1, thereby permitting liquid to flow from cup 10 via bypass 11 into pressurechamber E9 and close valve 7.

It is obvious arrangement of elements described supra constitutes a water closet trap refill apparatus for delaying and preventing closure of main valve member 7 against the main valve seat 6, and refilling of hollow outer casing 1 until after a water sealed trap intervening between a conventional water-closet bowl and a sewer line connected to the bowl has been refilled with water according to such arrangement.

Having described my invention and operation thereof I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising the combination of a hollow outer casing for containment of pneumatic and liquid elements and surrounding the upper portion of an inner valve casing, the lower portion of the inner valve casing provided with air and liquid inlet and outlet means for both casings, the liquid inlet means being contiguous with an annular passage extended upwardly from said liquid inlet means and surrounding an inwardly extended tubular portion provided for said outlet means, the tubular portion terminating in a main valve seat, said annular passage communicating with the hollow of the outer casing via port means provided thru the inner casing wall, said upper portion of said inner casing enclosing a pressure chamber located above said port means, cup means superimposed upon said pressure chamber, the bottom of said cup means forming the top of said pressure chamber, bypass passage means extended thru the bot tom of said cup meansand communicating with said pressure chamber, main valve means disposedacross, closing one side of said pressure chamber and normally resting on said main valve seat, therim of said cup means being located below a predetermined liquid level provided within said hollow outer casing, the upper portion of the hollow forming an air compression chamber, wherein float means is located in alignment with at least a portion of the open upper side of said cup circumscribed by the cup rim, a stem extended downwardly from said float means and slidably thru said bypass passage means, a float valve depending from said stem-inside said pressure chamber and closing said bypass passage when said cup is filled with liquid, drain means provided below level of said float and communicating with the hollow of the outer casing to permit said float means to fall and open said bypass passage permitting liquid to flow from said cup means into said pressure chamber, eliective to urge said main valve member to seat, whereby when liquid has been evacuated from said hollow of said outer casing to a level maintained above the liquid outlet means sufiicient to refill a liquid sealed trap provided for a water closet to which the foregoing organization may be attached, said float in conjunction with said drain means, said stem extended downwardly of said float means, said float valve means and said bypass cooperate to retard closing of said main valve member until said trap has been refilled with liquid.

2. For attachment to a sewer connected plumbing fixture, a device of the character described comprising in combination; a pressure operated valve provided with a valve casing having a lowerportion provided with liquid inlet means and air inlet and liquid outlet means, an upper portion of said valve casing provided with a pressure chamber surmounted by cup means, bypass passage means extended thru the bottom of said cup means and communicating with said pressure chamber, a main valve member provided to rest on a main valve seat terminating the inner end of said liquid outlet means, said main valve member closing one side of said pressure chamber and normally spaced away from and located below said bottom of said cup means, the bottom of said cup conforming in shape of the valve member, the inner wall of the pressure chamber conforming in peripheral shape to that of the valve member, a hollow outer casing encomprassing said upper portion of said valve casing, intercommunicating passage means disposed between said liquid inlet means, said air inlet means and liquid outlet means and the hollow of said outer casing, valve actuating means operatively juxtapositioned with lower portion of said inner casing and arranged to open exhaust passage means provided communicating between said pressure chamber,

'said intercommunicating passage means and said liquid outlet, said main valve member arranged to open and move toward and close said bypass means under efiect of a velocity head of liquid projected from the hollow of the outer casing and said liquid inlet means via said intercommunicating passage directed against that portion of said main valve member facing toward said liquid outlet means and said intercornmunicating passage means, said cup means being disposed below a predetermined effective working level of liquid accumulated in said hollow of said outer casing, residual liquid being retained in said cup means until after said hollow is evacuated of liquid below level of rim of said cup means and pressure established by head of liquid retained in said cup means becomes greater than total pressure existing against that face of said main valve member exposed toward said communicating passage means and said liquid outlet means, whereby liquid being gradually metered into said pressure chamber via said bypass passage urges said main valve member toward its seat, the restricted liquid flow from said liquid inlet thru said outlet efiective to slowly refill without evacuating a liquid sealed trap'provided for drain of a sewer connected plumbing fixture to which the foregoing described device may be attached.

3. An article of manufacture of the'character described comprising a hollow outer casing provided with a compression chamber for containment of an accumulation of pressure fluid in the shape of liquid and pneumatic elements, said hollow outer casing encompassingthe upper portion of an inner casing, a lower portion of said inner casing secured concomitant and projecting from the underside of said hollow outer casing, said lower portion of said inner casing forming a liquid inlet passage contiguous with an intercommunicating passageway extended upwardly toward and communicating with said hollow outer casing via port means provided thru the wall of said inner casing below the confines of a pressure chamber contained by said upper portion of the said inner casing, an outlet passagefor liquid forming an air inlet under negative pressure conditions existing within said hollow outer casing, the inner terminus of said liquid outlet provided with a main valve seat projecting upwardly with respect to said liquid inlet and said port means, a tiltable main valve member reciprocally disposed within, forming and closing the lower side of said pressure chamber, the main valve member normally resting on said main valve seat and provided with a stem extended into said liquid outlet, cup

5 means superimposed on said pressure chamber, a bypass passage extended thru the bottom of said cup means, float means disposed in the open end, of said cup means, a float valve stem depending from said float means and slidably extended thru said bypass passage and into said pressure chamber, a float valve depending from said float valve stem for closing the pressure chamberend of said bypass passage, manual actuating mean juxtapositioned with the lower portion of the wall of said inner casing and said stem of said main valve member, the actuating means arranged to tilt said main valve member to evacuate said pressure chamber when said outer casing is filled'with 2,915,761 Langdon Dec. 8, 1959 2,918,680 Langdon Dec. 29, 1959 3,011,176 Langdon Dec. 5, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 331,915 Italy Nov. 19, 1935 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A HOLLOW OUTER CASING FOR CONTAINMENT OF PNEUMATIC AND LIQUID ELEMENTS AND SURROUNDING THE UPPER PORTION OF AN INNER VALVE CASING, THE LOWER PORTION OF THE INNER VALVE CASING PROVIDED WITH AIR AND LIQUID INLET AND OUTLET MEANS FOR BOTH CASINGS, THE LIQUID INLET MEANS BEING CONTIGUOUS WITH AN ANNULAR PASSAGE EXTENDED UPWARDLY FROM SAID LIQUID INLET MEANS AND SURROUNDING AN INWARDLY EXTENDED TUBULAR PORTION PROVIDED FOR SAID OUTLET MEANS, THE TUBULAR PORTION TERMINATING IN A MAIN VALVE SEAT, SAID ANNULAR PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE HOLLOW OF THE OUTER CASING VIA PORT MEANS PROVIDED THRU THE INNER CASING WALL, SAID UPPER PORTION OF SAID INNER CASING ENCLOSING A PRESSURE CHAMBER LOCATED ABOVE SAID PORT MEANS, CUP MEANS SUPERIMPOSED UPON SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER, THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUP MEANS FORMING THE TOP OF SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER, BYPASS PASSAGE MEANS EXTENDED THRU THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUP MEANS AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER, MAIN VALVE MEANS DISPOSED ACROSS, CLOSING ONE SIDE OF SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER AND NORMALLY RESTING ON SAID MAIN VALVE SEAT, THE RIM OF SAID CUP MEANS BEING LOCATED BELOW A PREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL PROVIDED WITHIN SAID HOLLOW OUTER CASING, THE UPPER PORTION OF THE HOLLOW FORMING AN AIR COMPRESSION CHAMBER, WHEREIN FLOAT MEANS IS LOCATED IN ALIGNMENT WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE OPEN UPPER SIDE OF SAID CUP CIRCUMSCRIBED BY THE CUP RIM, A STEM EXTENDED DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID FLOAT MEANS AND SLIDABLY THRU SAID BYPASS PASSAGE MEANS, A FLOAT VALVE DEPENDING FROM SAID STEM INSIDE SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER AND CLOSING SAID BYPASS PASSAGE WHEN SAID CUP IS FILLED WITH LIQUID, DRAIN MEANS PROVIDED BELOW LEVEL OF SAID FLOAT AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE HOLLOW OF THE OUTER CASING TO PERMIT SAID FLOAT MEANS TO FALL AND OPEN SAID BYPASS PASSAGE PERMITTING LIQUID TO FLOW FROM SAID CUP MEANS INTO SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER, EFFECTIVE TO URGE SAID MAIN VALVE MEMBER TO SEAT, WHEREBY WHEN LIQUID HAS BEEN EVACUATED FROM SAID HOLLOW OF SAID OUTER CASING TO A LEVEL MAINTAINED ABOVE THE LIQUID OUTLET MEANS SUFFICIENT OT REFILL A LIQUID SEALED TRAP PROVIDED FOR A WATER CLOSET TO WHICH THE FOREGOING ORGANIZATION MAY BE ATTACHED, SAID FLOAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID DRAIN MEANS, SAID STEM EXTENDED DOWNWARDLY OF SAID FLOAT MEANS, SAID FLOAT VALVE MEANS AND SAID BYPASS COOPERATE TO RETARD CLOSING OF SAID MAIN VALVE MEMBER UNTIL SAID TRAP HAS BEEN REFILLED WITH LIQUID. 